CONSPICUOUSNESS IN NATURE 13 



in spite of the fact that animals thus render 

 themselves conspicuous to their enemies. 

 Means are usually taken to make them as 

 little conspicuous as possible ; they are carried 

 out under cover, or at night, or only after 

 inspection has proved the absence of any 

 enemy. At the slightest alarm they cease. 



It is not to this kind of motion that at- 

 tention is now to be drawn, but to those 

 motions made by animals whose purpose is 

 to make themselves conspicuous. Motions of 

 this kind, purposely conspicuous, are made 

 chiefly for two reasons : (1) to signal to 

 friends ; (2) to signal to enemies. Signals 

 to friends give notice of danger, of security, 

 of the presence of a comrade, of the pre- 

 sence of a male or female, and of many other 

 things. 



It is not to these signals, but to the signals 

 to enemies, that attention is now directed. 

 Signals to enemies are of two kinds, and 

 made for two reasons : (1) Repellent, to repel 

 the enemy, to frighten it away ; (2) Attrac- 

 tive, to attract the enemy, to draw its attack. 

 Examples of these two kinds of signals by 

 motion are to be found widely distributed 

 throughout the animal kingdom. The majority 

 of animals at bay attempt to frighten away an 



